Lichfield and Burntwood communities ready to battle it out for Staffordshire’s Best Kept Village title

Communities around Lichfield and Burntwood are getting ready to battle it out for Staffordshire’s 2019 Best Kept Village crown.

Members of the Best Kept Village team from the Community Foundation and their families

The competition is being run by the Community Foundation for Staffordshire following the closure of the Community Council for Staffordshire.

More than 40 entries have already been received, including new participants such as Mavesyn Ridware and Gentleshaw.

Judging will continue throughout the summer with multiple visits to each village culminating in the awards presented at a ceremony on 5th August.

John Perry, from the judging group said: “The judges are aware of the great deal of work people put in to the competition and we’d like to thank them for this.

“Their hard work is a celebration of where they live and help sustain the village community spirit.

“As such, the judges want to make sure that all the villages which have entered will be judged thoroughly and consistently, hence multiple site visits.”

There are a number of categories within the competition, including a new Spirit of the Best Kept Village trophy which will encourage residents to use paintings, sketches, photographs or a combination of all three, to showcase their village.

Steve Adams, chief executive of The Community Foundation for Staffordshire, said “We are hugely excited to be running the Best Kept Village Competition from 2019.

“The perception is that the competition is simply about tidy flower beds and quaint cottages – for us this is not just about how pretty a village is, but about community spirit and cohesion.

“It’s about how people pull together and support one another and make a difference to where they live.”.